Ina Garten on The Food Network

[Sheree Bobbins]

I love Ina Garten. I would watch her but she's only on one day a week and I always forget to watch. I'm glad we're discussing her, I love to get people's perspectives.

Whipping cream and butter. Her staples. I couldn't cook her way with its richness or I'd been even fatter!

I remember one show which was a bit of a disappointment. She was celebrating doggie's birthdays on the beach. She was catering it. All she did for the main course was fry up some peppers and sausages and serve them in a bun. I thought really, who doesn't know how to serve sausages and peppers. And she made a cake with doggie cookies from a bakery. There are many people who would celebrate their dogs, it was cute really.

I sometimes sense the guests are excited about eating at Ina's, but then the menu is pretty ordinary. Been a while since I saw her but I can remember their reaction.

We need people like those that vacation/live in the Hamptoms. I think they inspire ordinary people to stretch their menu's and habits to include creativity in everyday living. Pretentiousness has its purposes.

I only know the Hamptoms from Kelly mentioning it during Regis & Kelly, then I know it is the place to see and be seen. I don't watch this show anymore either.

I like Paula Dean but don't make it a point to watch her. Her recipes are too rich and not healthy.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I never believed people who told me that people live out in the Hamptons think different than the rest of us, until I saw the Barefoot Contessa for the first time.

Just kidding....

 

[Aimeedyan]

I have tried to watch her show several times but it honestly puts me to sleep. She is as dull as a doornail. The recipes I've pulled off the FN website were all tasty, I just can't watch the show (unless I want a nap!)

 

[Angelhalo]

When I think of or watch Ina Garten, I think of her as a modern classic.
She is a little over the top sometimes but I would love to dine at her home any day...

I love her too and her crowd of gay men friends reminds me a lot of me in college always cooking for them. They'd bring the wine and flowers, I'd make the food. Her recipes are also all wonderful. Her roasted brussell sprouts are to die for.

The only thing I don't like about her is her laugh. It sounds very fake even when its clear it isn't.

 

[D&R love Disney]

I'm a fan, I've made many of her recipes and they've all been very good.

 

[Angelhalo]

I will take Ina, her voice, her house., recipes. all of it... before I could hang with

The Neely's ... I am not a violent person but I think I could slap Mrs. Neely! if not more....LOL They have good food... but I turn the tv off if she wanders onto my tv screen.

I also agree with Saphire on this one. Dreaming up all these THEMES for shows must be a daunting task.

oh.. and that is really cool that Ina was a nuclear policy analyst for Jimmy Carter admin.. awesome....

Bwahahahahaha I agree the Neely's are the ABSOLUTE WORST! I can't stand ANYTHING about them!!!!

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

The only thing I don't like about her is her laugh. It sounds very fake even when its clear it isn't.

I think my problem with her is that EVERYTHING about her seems fake to me. And I know it isn't and I'm sure she's a wonderful person but it's that fakiness that drives me nuts. Someone said that her pretentiousness could help "ordinary" people become a little more creative. I understand what you meant, but I'm more inclined to like someone like Guy Fieri who is anything but ordinary, but doesn't have an ounce of pretense.

I enjoy the Neely's, although I'm pretty sure that Gina on her own would be too much to take. I really like her hubby (whose name is escaping me at the moment.)

As much as Ina annoys me, I think the worst one (for me) is Pat Burrell.

I love talking about food

 

[Buckalew11]

So with all this FN talk, is anyone going to watch the Next food network Star tonight? Is it tonite? Or next Sunday? I always enjoy it.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

It's tonight at 9:00 and I will most definitely be watching. I loooooove Next Food Network Star!

 

[mamajoan]

All in All I think FN does a good job at bringing different personalities to its show line up.... Cause even just looking thru these posts, it is clear that different strokes for different folks. While I may enjoy Ina, Paula and Guy... others enjoy Rachel, the Neely's, Giada etc. and to me that is way cool.

 

[chell]

So with all this FN talk, is anyone going to watch the Next food network Star tonight? Is it tonite? Or next Sunday? I always enjoy it.

Thanks for the reminder!

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

[OOps... I don't type fast enough... LOL. I was responding to mamajoan's post on the bottom of page two!]

^^ Oh, I agree completely! I love me some Food Network and usually have it on all day on Sunday.

What's cool is that you don't even have to be a cook to enjoy some of the shows. I recorded Ace of Cakes because he was doing a Star Wars themed cake. I'm certainly never going to do that myself, but can't wait to watch it. (I had to run out, but am sooo glad I caught the first twelve seconds!)

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I really like her show. Her food ideas are really good. The only thing she says that makes me crazy is her "use a good vanilla" line. I know what she's saying, but it drives me nuts anyway!

That's a saying in our house now thanks to Ina.
My DH cannot stand pretentious, snobby rich people, but he loves Ina. We all get a kick out of her. Yeah, she's a little on the snobby side, but it's not irritating for some reason. Guess thats why her show works. She is not pretending to be someone she isn't...unlike another Food Network person who is rumoured to be a real witch, while on tv she comes off as the goofy, sweet girl next door.

 

[izzy]

That's a saying in our house now thanks to Ina.
My DH cannot stand pretentious, snobby rich people, but he loves Ina. We all get a kick out of her. Yeah, she's a little on the snobby side, but it's not irritating for some reason. Guess thats why her show works. She is not pretending to be someone she isn't...unlike another Food Network person who is rumoured to be a real witch, while on tv she comes off as the goofy, sweet girl next door.

OK, you can't leave us hanging like this!! (Although I can probably make a good guess as to who you're talking about.)

Spill, spill!

 

[joha]

I also like Ina, and her recipes are great. Yes the Hampton's vibe seems a little snobby to me as well, but I do like her.
Martha, that's another story, she rubs me the wrong way (I'm fully aware that I'm in the minority here). To me she comes as patronizing and snobbish.
I also like Robin's Miller's ideas and organization, but I don't know...I have not had luck with her recipes. I wonder if is just me.

 

[Rebelmom67]

I never believed people who told me that people live out in the Hamptons think different than the rest of us, until I saw the Barefoot Contessa for the first time.

Just kidding....

LOL!!!! Everytime she says "use a very good vanilla" I want to say, well, all I have is white trash McCormick, it'll have to do!!

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

^ LMAO... no kidding!!

 

[My2Cinderellas]

It's tonight at 9:00 and I will most definitely be watching. I loooooove Next Food Network Star!

good thing they repeat everything - I'll have to catch a later showing!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I love Ina! My DH likes to use some of her phrases also! (good vanilla, the coffee really brings out the chocolate...)

I've cooked a lot of her stuff, and everything has always been good. I sometimes use a little less butter, and it is usually fine.

My DH and I also think she and Jeffrey are so cute. I know they sometimes seem corny, but they still seem so in love. Once when Jeffrey was writing a book, my DH looked up his bio. He is a smart guy! I am also pretty sure Ina worked for the Reagan administration.

 

[lucas]

A little about Jeffrey from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Garten

Jeffrey Edwin Garten was the Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade under the Clinton administration and former Dean of the Yale School of Management. Before this, Garten served on the White House Council on International Economic Policy under the Nixon administration and on the policy planning staffs of Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Cyrus Vance of the Ford and Carter administrations.

An on Ina from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Garten

Ina was a former White House nuclear policy analyst. She was assigned the position of budget analyst, which entailed writing the nuclear energy budget and policy papers on nuclear centrifuge plants for Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.